Grandpa looked at the assortment of trinkets A Lai had collected—small items bought with his own money. He realized that leaving them unused at home would be a waste and finally agreed to let A Lai sell them.
Fang Fang, though reluctant, had no choice but to support the idea.
A few days later, Fang Fang and A Lai returned to the city.
A Lai found that the phone he had acquired was no longer working. Frustrated, he took it to a repair shop. The technician glanced at it and tossed it aside, saying, "You might as well buy a new one instead of wasting money fixing this. It's a cheap knockoff."
A Lai pleaded with the technician, "Just give me a USB drive. I don't care about the storage size; just find a way to extract the data from this phone. You can keep the phone afterward."
Seeing a potential profit, the technician quickly extracted the data for A Lai.
Fang Fang asked, "What are you going to do with that?"
A Lai replied, "You can never be too careful. Who knows when this might come in handy?"
And so, A Lai continued studying while also setting up his street stall.
The market was a small but bustling place, only a few hundred meters from the "Haozailai" restaurant, making it a relatively lively spot. Every Sunday, the market would be filled with people, creating a festive atmosphere.
A Lai wore a white shirt underneath a photographer's vest, with large sunglasses on his face. He wandered around, observing the area. Although it was spacious and busy, it was also too noisy. He found a slightly secluded corner where he could settle down—an area where he often set up his stall. It was quiet, perfect for studying while also selling his goods.
He spread out a clean plastic sheet and arranged his colorful trinkets on it. As he pondered over problems from his textbook, he noticed something.
...
The girl was too thin, carrying a heavy backpack on her frail shoulders. Her delicate face was wet with tears, and her eyes reflected a subtle sadness. Her lips were dry, and she looked weak and vulnerable.
She had been standing by the wall for a long time, seemingly waiting for someone. The sight of her, with "pear blossoms drenched in rain," evoked a deep sense of pity in A Lai.
A Lai's eyes fell on her, and he was surprised. "She's just my type," he thought. She had visited his stall several times before, buying a few small trinkets.
In the sweltering heat, he decided to invite her over for a chat and some rest. He walked over and stopped her.
"Long time no see. How are you?" A Lai greeted her.
She was startled, recognizing A Lai by his outfit. "Long time no see. You haven't changed a bit," she replied, surprised.
A Lai asked, "Can I have some water? This damned heat is drying me out."
She looked at him blankly. "Are you talking to me?"
A Lai nodded enthusiastically, like a pecking chick.
"Sorry, I don't have any. I'm thirsty too," she replied weakly.
A Lai pretended to be surprised. "You don't? I can see that bottle of mineral water in your backpack, even with my sunglasses on. We've known each other for a while; don't be stingy."
The girl was puzzled. "How could he know?" she thought, quickly putting down her backpack.
A Lai, without hesitation, helped her open it.
"Hey, there really is a bottle," he said with a grin. "You drink first, and whatever's left, I'll have."
He handed her a small stool, inviting her to sit.
The girl didn't hold back. She drank half of the water and handed the bottle to A Lai.
They had been apart for months, and now they sat there, looking at each other, as if there was so much to say, yet neither could find the words.
Curious, the girl asked, "My backpack was zipped up tightly. How did you know I had water? Are your sunglasses some kind of high-tech gadget?"
A Lai downed the rest of the water in one go, wiped his mouth, and smiled mischievously. "Want to know? I'll show you a magical trick right now, one that will open up an incredible world for you."
"Really?" she asked, intrigued.
"Of course," A Lai replied confidently. "Hanh Hanh, you're a top student at XX High School, someone I really admire. You're also one of my regular customers. How could I lie to you?"
She smiled faintly, "Well, I'm not that great, just okay. I can get by."
"Remember the last time we ate together at my stall? But we didn't exchange names then. I never told you any of this. How do you know?" she asked.
A Lai chuckled, "The incredible world is full of mysteries."
Hanh Hanh replied, "Alright, since you already know my name, can you tell me yours?"
A Lai boasted, "I'm called Lei Tianlai, sent from the heavens."
Hanh Hanh smiled, "Oh, I'll remember that. Could you take off your sunglasses and let me see your face?"
A Lai laughed, "I wear these sunglasses to avoid being recognized by teachers or people I know. I don't want them seeing me at a street stall and gossiping behind my back. But do you also want to see what I really look like?" With confidence, he removed his sunglasses.
Hanh Hanh looked up at A Lai, her heart skipping a beat. He was a handsome young man, wearing a travel hat, with a fair face, clear and innocent eyes, and a small beauty mark on his left brow. His unruly expression was captivating, as if he were pinning her down with his gaze. His high nose bridge and well-defined lips completed the picture.
Suddenly, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, focusing on the items displayed at his stall.
Colorful accessories, little cats, dogs, bears... She thought, "These two stuffed dolls are so cute. If you put them together, they'd look like a big happy family."
Noticing her attention on his stall, A Lai became excited. He put his sunglasses back on and said, "Do you like these hairpins and clips? Aren't they beautiful?"
"Yes, they're pretty. Where did you find them?"
"Of course they're beautiful, but what's even more amazing is that they can capture your thoughts and bring you good luck," A Lai replied, trying to sound mystical.
"Really?" she asked skeptically, smiling at his attempt to sell the items.
A Lai seemed to read her mind. Without saying another word, he instructed her to take out a piece of paper from her backpack and write down a secret thought.
He turned his back, closing his eyes to prove he wasn't peeking, and asked her to fold the paper multiple times before handing it to him.
A Lai took the folded paper, tore it in half, and repeatedly crumpled it in his hands. He shook it in front of her, "Watch closely!"
With a flick of his finger, the paper burst into flames. A Lai quickly turned it over, asking the girl to shake it until it burned to ashes.
This action caught the attention of passersby, who stopped to watch.
A Lai, unhurried, took a deep breath from the swirling smoke, held it in his mouth, and pointed at the trinkets on his stall, asking her which one she liked.
She pointed at the two stuffed dolls.
A Lai nodded knowingly, picked up the dolls, and blew the smoke from his mouth onto them.
The dolls were quickly enveloped in the swirling smoke.
A Lai gave Hanh Hanh a mysterious smile, "Alright, your thoughts are now attached to these two dolls."
Hanh Hanh wasn't convinced. "So you're saying they know my thoughts? How can you prove that? Tell me what they are."